One form of laptop computer protection uses one or two generally flat walls or panels flanking and parallel to the broad faces of the laptop computer and sometimes including a hook & loop strap to help hold the laptop computer's edges and corners away from the rail during impact and thus from direct impact with the rail, even when the case is dropped on a side or corner. Such panel-based isolation systems use a significant portion of the case itself to yield in response to the impact, thus absorbing more of the energy from the impact. This leaves less of the impact energy for the computer itself to absorb. An example of such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,528, issued to William King of Samsonite Corporation, entitled, “Laptop computer carrying case and impact isolating insert”, herein incorporated by reference.
Another example of a laptop computer carrying case that provides computer protection is International Publication Number WO 002/27728, by William King, Elliot Younessian, and Carlo Zezza of Samsonite Corporation, entitled, “Laptop Computer carrying case and impact isolating system therefore”, herein incorporated by reference. The isolating system described within WO 002/27728 includes moveable corner supports that are attached to a flanking panel. Hook and loop type fastening elements permit the user the position the corner supports near the center of the flanking panel to protect the computer from impacts from all directions around the case.
A more conventional laptop case construction uses a bumper or buttressing member around the interior of some or all of the rail or perimeter wall that interconnects the flat walls or panels. This bumper has included a layer or layers of synthetic foam rubber alone or contained in a tube formed of some textile material. This bumper has also been constructed of a sealed tube of gas impervious textile filled with a pressurized gas.